The Rebuild 2: The Other Side
by Superpsych96
Summary: This story takes place where the Rebuild left off. This time around, Shawn has as much to lose, if not more when a killer goes after Santa Barbara's finest. I highly recommend reading the prequel first!
1. Chapter 1

Shawn sat on the warm brick retaining wall outside the Santa Barbara's oldest church. His suite coat laid next to him and his tie hung loosely around his neck.

Shawn waived good bye as the Hearse turned the corner and on to the cemetery. This was Shawn's first real loss, and he had not been prepared for this amount of pain. He'd had others die, but never so close.

His mind played flashbacks that only added to the burning in the pit of his gut.

"Why man? Why you?" Shawn's voice was already cracking, tears threatening to stream. "I never should have brought you and Gus into it." Shawn's head dropped, his hands not caring to catch it. "I'm sorry, Trav."

Shawn felt alone in that moment, like he had killed his only friend. He knew he wasn't alone in the world, but he couldn't kick that feeling.

"It's not your fault." The soft voice of his fiancé was close. She snuck up on him without his knowing. "You didn't know."

Shawn turned and weakly smiled, taking her hand in his, brushing it softly with his lips. "Hey."

"Hi." Juliet sadly smiled, Shawn's emotions laid bare by his eyes.

Shawn faced forward and watched the traffic roll forward. They had no idea a good man and a good friend was being put in the ground as they went along their business.

"I'm sorry Shawn, I, I don't know what to say." Juliet's voice was so soft.

"Don't. You don't have to." They wrapped each other in a strong hug, Shawn trying not to let go.

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Shawn slowly opened the door to their house and trudged upstairs. His jacket went air born and a sleeve was caught by a hook. Forget going around to the front of the couch, falling over the arm face first and staying that way worked too.

Juliet hated seeing her upbeat and happy man so far into the dark. It happened more than she liked, but it wasn't common. Some times she could cheat and do some tricks to get him back, but not this time.

She sat lightly on the couch next to his head and started playing with his hair, something she knew he liked. For a guy that used to be homeless, the guy had great hair.

Shawn mumbled something inaudible in appreciation of the attention, but made no attempt to move.

"Get up here." She ordered and rolled her eyes. Shawn did as told, laying his head on her lap, looking up at her with a calm sea in his eyes. It had been raging moments ago, so this was an improvement.

She had to smile brightly at him, his eyes closed and his lips lightly curled into a smile with his legs twitching ever so slightly. Otter belly rubs were the key to Shawn's heart.

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Shawn woke up the next morning, unable to move his head. He wasn't tired, there was a definite weight on it. What the Hell. Instead of lifting his head, he pulled backwards and freed his head.

Shawn couldn't help but laugh aloud at the source. Juliet was slumped over in her sleep, her chin nearly touching her knees.

The sound of laughter woke her from her deep slumber, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "You're so damn cute right now." Shawn chuckled, causing Juliet to look at him questioningly.

"What's so funny?" She looked around the room, not seeing what he was talking about or found so comical.

"Don't worry about it Jules, I'll keep it to myself." Shawn stood up and went to the kitchen, his stomach grumbling fiercely. He had no appetite at all the day before, and ate sparingly even before that. He felt like he had just woke up from hibernation.

"Shawn, are you okay?" Juliet was worried about his state, physical, emotional and mental.

Shawn tilted his head side to side, trying to weigh a good answer as he analyzed the fridge contents.

Juliet picked herself up off the couch and walked over to Shawn, who still didn't answer. "You can talk to me Shawn, it's okay." Juliet trailed his neck with light, slow kisses.

"I don't know Jules, I'm... I'm trying not to feel anything, really." Shawn admitted, extracting weapons of choice.

"Shawn, it's okay to feel, it's okay to show emotion." Juliet rested her head on his shoulder.

"I think I'll just go to work today, take some things off my mind, you know?" Shawn nodded his head in decision.

"Are you sure? Maybe you shouldn't work like this." Juliet suggested, a hand softly rubbing his back.

"Crime doesn't take a break Jules, we both know that." Shawn cracked some eggs into a pan, hardly paying attention to what he was really doing.

"You aren't crime Shawn, you're a human going through a hard loss right now. You lost a partner and a good friend. Please, I need you to take a break, okay?" Juliet pleaded with him, taking his hand in hers.

Shawn rolled his eyes and his head around his shoulders. "What do you want me to do today then, Jules?" Shawn asked quietly yet challenging.

Her arms gently rested on the back of his neck, her lips so close to his. "Spend the day with me at work? Pester Lassiter a bit, maybe?" She smiled at him, knowing his favorite pastimes on the slow days.

"I think I can manage that." Shawn was able to find a smile, planting a kiss on her clearly waiting lips.

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After a very satisfying breakfast, the couple headed for the station together. Right on time as far as Juliet was concerned. Just enough time to get situated before Lassiter could ruin her morning.

Shawn and Juliet sat down at her desk with a cup of coffee each. "Maybe Carlton will be out sick today and he won't give me half of his work load."

"He'll only give you a quarter." Shawn rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

"What makes you say that?" Juliet tilted her head to the side, waiting for his answer.

"I'll take a quarter." Shawn said with a small smile. Even when in the dumps, he could make her heart sing with a single loving look.

No slamming door was heard, or thundering footsteps down the floor of the bullpen. Just Lassiter slowly making his way to the pot, not a word or snarl to anyone.

Juliet watched her partner with concern, his jaw stiff and more hard set than usual.

Shawn kissed her forehead and got up with his own mug. He made his way to Carlton, who stood there and looked into the bottom of the mug helplessly like a lost child. Without asking, deposited three cream and four sugars into the cup.

Carlton's eyes came back to live and he filled his cup, nodding to Spencer in morning acknowledgement. Both men turned and leaned on the counter next to each other, toasting then drinking deeply.

The two looked at each other, neither saying a word. They didn't know what to say. They both had lost a friend, Shawn a partner and Carlton, his best friend. There would be no bickering back and forth, no jokes or death threats. Today was to be solemn and respectful of the lost they shared.

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Lunch rolled around, and the station seemed quiet. There wasn't a Hell of a lot going on that April afternoon.

Carlton was offered to go home given his state and the lack of things to do. He had even taken Dobson's paperwork and split it with Shawn after Shawn had asked for it.

"Do you guys want anything, or from any place special?" Juliet asked softly, not disturbing the boys' work.

"Not hungry." the two men said in unison, never looking up from their folders.

"Carlton, when was the last time you ate? And Shawn, you're going to get sick if you don't eat more." Juliet still held kindness, but was a little more firm.

"Thanks, but we're okay Jules." Shawn took her hand and squeezed it before going back to the pen.

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The three of them left two hours early, completely unproductive.

Gus and Shawn had a small dinner, Gus falling under the same food shyness Shawn and Lassiter had. They watched a movie, Juliet invited. Gus went home around 9:00 PM, and Juliet witnessed one of the rare moments when the two hugged.

Shawn closed the door behind Gus and slugged his way to the couch, falling down with a plop. He turned to see his Jules standing by the doorway, signaling for him to come to bed.

Shawn did as was told and dragged himself to recline on the bed in a half seated position, supported by a wall of fluffy pillows.

Juliet laid down, her head resting on his shoulder, her belly facing the ceiling.

Shawn looked down at the angelic girl laying next to him, her perfect features and her beautiful long blonde hair. He stroked her hair gently, causing her to turn her head and smile up at him softly.

He slowly lowered his head and captured her pink lips. Juliet reciprocated immediately, reaching up for a handful of Shawn's thick hair. His hand gently rubbed up and down her belly before he plucked at the bottom button of ger shirt, then the second and third.

Juliet hummed appreciatively when she felt Shawn's rough hand graze across her soft skin on her belly. "Are you sure you want to do this Shawn? You're haven't been yourself lately." she asked, kissing his lips again.

"I can't sleep, I can't eat, but I do need you." Shawn kissed her deep and passionately and rolled on top of her, covering her body with his.

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**Okay, so yes this is what you think. The sequel to the Rebuild. It picks off where the Rebuild left us last time. And sorry for so much Shawn wump, but I tried to make up for it with Shules. How'd I do?**

**Secondly: Sorry for the short chapter, but hey, it's the first chapter. We're still good, right?**


	2. Chapter 2

_Rain poured down hard, seeming like waives. The wind was cold and biting, making the rain sting._

_He looked up from soaked and matted hair, the storm seeming like it would never stop. His cup was full of only water from the sky._

_There was not a time when he could remember being that chilled to the bone. His stomach rumbled and flipped with nothing in it. He wanted to go to sleep so bad, but this would be a situation when he was afraid he wouldn't wake up. He wasn't sure he wanted to wake up._

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"Shawn, sweety?" Juliet shook the convulsing and shivering man next to her. "Shawn, wake up! Please wake up!" she pleaded, knowing he was in one of his nightmares.

Shawn's eyes snapped open, bewildered and wild. He wiped his forehead, covered in sweat. His knees tucked into his chest, becoming a little ball, still able to feel the cold and the burning.

"Oh, Shawn." Juliet didn't know what else to say as she wrapped her pajama clad body around him. "It's okay Shawn, you're safe, you're warm. You're loved again." She whispered into his ear, his shivering and heart rate slowing.

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Shawn woke up for the second time, but on his terms now. He rolled out of bed and knocked out his fifty push-ups and sit-ups. He leap-frogged to a standing position and jogged to the kitchen.

Juliet looked up from her coffee and paper to see Shawn extra peppy and bouncy. "Someone's feeling good this morning." Juliet smiled, joyed to see him better than last night.

"Are you kidding me Jules? I feel like I could take on the world. Then I'll get Gus and we'll take back Pluto." Shawn stopped for a moment and took a look of deep thought. "The Fight for Pluto. That's an awesome band name!" Shawn said with a smile.

It was always odd to Juliet how Shawn could have a body shaking nightmare, and forget it happened when he woke up. He was usually extra Shawn-like the morning after.

Shawn had enjoyed April, the beginning of Spring. Travis was close in his thoughts, but now it was pleasant and warm instead of painful and sad. Gus had full control of Psych, he and Shawn keeping it well alive and thriving as Travis would have wanted it. Lassiter and Shawn still had their poking matches, but there was an unspoken respect between them now.

"Ooh, it's barbeque night!" Juliet said happily. She had become a fan of the relaxed weekly festivities thrown at Henry Spencer's. Shawn and Henry sure had their issues, but they were on visiting terms again. Hell, he would even help Psych out time to time. Whether Shawn wanted it or not.

"It's that time of week, isn't it?" Shawn huffed. Shawn wasn't ALWAYS in the mood for pappa bear.

"You were in such a good mood a minute ago, don't get all grumps on me now." Juliet said scoldingly.

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Shawn wasn't surprised to see Gus at his desk, focused on his laptop. If Gus wasn't investigating, he was preparing for a route or something equally boring.

"We got a case." Gus informed him, no life in his voice.

"Good morning to you too." Shawn scoffed, caught off guard by the abruptness of his partner. "What do we got?"

"We have to find an old lady's cat." he said nonchalantly. "She gave me a wallet sized painted portrait on a canvas." Gus looked up disgruntled, upset in his voice.

"That cat is going to eat her when she dies." Shawn said lamely.

"You know that's right." Gus agreed. "It shouldn't be too hard to find Balto."

"She named her cat 'Balto'?" Shawn asked disbelieving. "She knows Balto was half wolf, half husky, right?"

"Man, I don't know!" Gus exclaimed quickly and high pitched.

"Let's go for a ride, buddy."

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The Blueberry went around the sunny city, to all the places Shawn could see a stray cat going. "Dude, is that a diamond stud collar?" Shawn focused closer on the painting.

Gus took his eyes from the road long enough to focus on the painting. "She must be out of her damn mind!" he exclaimed in confirmation.

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It didn't take too long for the cat to surface, Shawn spotting it in a dog park, ironically enough. Spotting it was the easy part, Gus and Shawn chasing it down like a chicken was the fun part.

Once the cat resembling Snowball from Stuart Little was apprehended, the next step was for Gus to call the mysterious number.

The voice was oddly familiar, and definitely not feminine like Gus had assumed the client to be.

The address was given and the duo went immediately, surprised when it was a sizeable hilltop mansion. Security cameras lined the stone and rod iron gates.

"This place is dope! If we ever bust this guy... or woman..., me and Jules call dibs."

"You can't call dibs before the warrant is out, Shawn." Gus argued back, staring him down.

"That can't be a real rule, they don't have that kind of stipulation ready." Shawn challenged. Gus was so full of crap his eyes were brown.

"I do, so I win." Gus crossed his arms and pouted.

The tall gates opened and the Blueberry rolled in, parking in front of the creme colored spectacle.

Shawn held on gently to the Ande, as he named him affectionately after the tasty mint chocolate. Gus followed behind empty handed. Gus rang the bell and the three of them waited patiently for their client.

Their jaws dropped when the master of the house arrived. "You, you're... you're supposed to be dead." Shawn stammered.

"Come on in, boys." Their bearded, happy host ushered them in. "Don't look too surprised. I hope it's not an upset." he chuckled deeply.

"Not at all sir." Shawn waived off his jest. "Can you believe this, Gus? We're in Billy Mays' mansion!"

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_"_Shawn, what the Hell took you two so long?" Henry asked grumpily as his son and Gus came in through the gate to the back yard.

"Sorry pops, we got a little preoccupied with work." Shawn and Gus shared a knowing look before going to their respective ladies.

"Hey there." Juliet greeted her man with a smile and a peck on the lips. "Anything interesting happen today?"

"Hmm... not overly interesting. Just a call to find someone's missing cat. Gus thought the job came from a woman at first but turned out to be a guy we thought was dead." Shawn quickly summarized, a seemingly normal day. Minus the whole, that dead guy was Billy Mays the greatest salesman of all time, part.

"That was better than my day. Me and Carlton caught a teenager robbing an ice cream truck at gunpoint. All I got out of it was paperwork and an orange creamsickle." Juliet said with a pout.

"O'Hara, that was the best job we've had in months." Lassiter argued.

"You just say that because you got to drive the truck!" Juliet said jealously.

"How did it take you all day to catch someone's cat?" Henry questioned doubtfully.

"Have you ever chased a chicken through a park with Gus? That's what this was like, if the chicken had teeth and claws." Shawn defended himself and his partner. "We spent a lot of time with the owner too. He was a pretty cool dude."

"Who pays that kind of money just for a cat?" Lassiter asked, taking a swig of Dos Equis.

"Someone who lives in a mansion, gives the cat a diamond collar and has a surprisingly large record collection, that's who." Gus shot him down.

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I Shawn got in the car with Juliet, hardly able to move after that dinner. "That was a poor life decision." Shawn moaned, reclining as far back as possible.

"I told you to stop." Juliet said in an 'I told you so' manner. "You never listen."

"Oh , I should have listened to you Jules. You're so wise!" Shawn's eyes fought to stay open, but he lost that fight.

When the car pulled into their driveway, Juliet looked at her not so sober fiancé. "I can't carry you in." She shook her head, thinking what to do. Calling his name and shaking him wouldn't work. She hated to, but she had to.

She unbuckled his seat belt and opened his door. Juliet went around to the other side and took his head in her hands and pulled him out of the car, stopping all but his head to the ground. It woke him up as planned, though she didn't like the tactic.

"Jules, you take such good care of me." Shawn slurred as she helped him to his feet.

"Come on, lover boy." Juliet teased, pulling him towards the house.

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Once inside, she laid him carefully on the bed and took his shoes and socks off. He watched her through drunken eyes, not understanding what was going on.

Juliet then took her own off and curled up on the bed next to him. She would keep watch on him to ensure he was okay. Shawn didn't often get drunk, but when he did... look out.

"It was so cold, Jules." Shawn murmured, more asleep than awake. He scooted closer to her and draped his arm over her waist. "I didn't want to make it. I didn't want to wake up, wanted to stay asleep."

"What are you talking about, Shawn?" Juliet whispered, her warm breath ghosting over his lips.

"So warm now." Shawn nuzzled into her shoulder lovingly.

"Shawn, talk to me. What happened?" Juliet held Shawn's face in her hand, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

"The cold Jules, terrible. Wind and rain, wouldn't stop." Shawn slurred, his words harder to catch."Didn't have food, shelter. So hungry." He shivered, Juliet wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close, their bodies molding together.

"How did you survive?" Juliet waited patiently for an answer, but none came. His heartbeat slowed and he fell into a peaceful sleep for once.

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Juliet woke up in the night, her throat dry. She satisfied her thirst with cold water from the tap and went back to bed. She dropped her arm on the cooling sheet, telling her Shawn couldn't sleep again. His sleeping wasn't as peaceful as she had hoped.

There he was, sitting in the living playing a video game about dragons or something, Nords and Elves and stuff.

"I'll be to bed soon, Jules. Just let me kill Anduin..." he rambled about the game.

Juliet turned off the console and sat in front of him.

"It auto saves often, so..." Shawn pointed out, trying to pretend not to care about the game, and knowing why she had turned off the game.

"Shawn, please talk to me. We've been together for a year. We're engaged and you still won't tell me what keeps you up some nights." Shawn's sleeping patterns were regular, but once in a blue moon he would get reminiscent and lose sleep. Depression could sneak in, and Shawn was on Juliet and Gus's radar for... let's not go there.

Shawn rolled his eyes and stood, rubbing a hand through his unsettled bed head. "They're just nightmares Jules, memories. I'm okay. But Gary Busey... that man needs some help." Shawn tried to diffuse the situation set by his blonde haired beauty.

"Oh cut it, Spencer." Juliet would have none of his games. "I'm a cop, Shawn. I read people and I can see you need to talk about it. You talk when you drink and you shiver and shake in your sleep. You need to do this, WE need to do this."

Shawn smirked, trying to stay bold. "What do you want me to say Juliet? That I hated my life? That I was a failure and had nothing? That I almost died out there? That I wanted to die out there!" Shawn yelled, pointing in no random direction.

"I want you to know that I love you and that you're not out there anymore! I want you to say that you're proud of surviving and who you are now!" Juliet stood and tears streamed from her face at his confessions. "Say you love me!"

"You're the reason I am alive, Juliet. I was so close to dropping myself off, to ending myself. I needed one good reason to live, and that reason is you. We've been together for only a year, but I know we'll make it the rest of our lives because you saved mine, and I'm going to give you mine and enjoy every fucking minute of it!" Shawn smiled, the short screaming match lifting such a weight off his shoulders that it made him giddy.

"What are you smiling about?" She was still flustered, and now confused. Her face was red and her brow furrowed.

"I'm tired. It's bed time." Shawn jogged past his bewildered fiancé and slapped her ass, causing her to jump.

"What the Hell am I marrying?" Juliet rolled her eyes and threw up her arms before following him in, closing the door behind her.

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**I'm pretty sure Shawn is practically bipolar, but hey... so am I. **

**Yes, Billy Mays, the king of Oxy is alive! I'm not sure why, just thought it'd be fun. **

**The story will soon pick up. Just a bit of wump and Shules in there. Expect a lot of peppier Shawn for a while. The power of yelling is incredible. I MEAN IT!**


	3. Chapter 3: New Edition

Juliet got out of her Bug and went to go up the short walk to the house where her fiancé waited ever so patiently, probably with a crazy five star meal as always. The food bill had risen sharply, but so had the pleasure level from a year ago. It's all in the opportunity costs.

"Hey lady." a smooth voice called to her from a Jeep on the street. The man himself was hard to make out, hidden by darkness of the Santa Barbara night.

"Um, hello?" Juliet's voice was between pleasant and a tone of who the Hell are you?

"This is a pretty nice place. You're job must pay pretty well." The man's tone was hard to read.

_What the Hell is he getting at? _"Yeah, it is nice I guess. My fiancé and I have lived here a little over a year. May I ask why?" Juliet's hand was on her purse where her gun was always lurking.

"Just admiring. You have a good night, Detective." The Jeep rolled away and Juliet stood on the path, an unsettling feeling in her stomach. _What just happened?_

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"Jules, are you okay?" Shawn asked, a worried look on his face. "You look like you saw Gary Busey, maybe Nicolas Cage even."

"Yeah, I'm okay." she smiled falsely, but then for real after seeing his 'Bribe the Cook' apron.

"Talk to me Jules, that first smile wasn't even close to real." Shawn verbally nudged her. You always make me talk, even if I don't want to."

"Okay, but only if you take off the apron and pineapple chef hat. I can't take you seriously."Juliet rolled her eyes and shook her head at his childish mood today. Since his break down last week, he had been happy as a clam.

"Better?" Shawn raised an eyebrow, the extra garments removed.

Juliet sighed and looked out the window that had a commanding view of the street. "I was just getting out of the car, and this man called to me. I couldn't really see him, he was just hiding in a Jeep. He said I had a nice place and my job must pay well. I asked him why and he said he was just admiring."

"That is kind of odd. If memory serves me right, I have to send you and our daughter out to the country and talk to Sean Connery." Shawn stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"We don't have a daughter, Shawn. We don't know anyone in the country either." her expression became angry at his joke.

"But that's the Chicago way, Jules!" Shawn whined. His face came back to business as his detective and protective brain kicked in. It scared Juliet sometimes how quickly the switches could flick. "You didn't see the guy, did you? Plates or anything?"

"It was dark, really dark. I could only tell it was a male from his voice." Juliet closed her eyes and replied the scene, drawing on her senses like Shawn had taught her.

"I'm sure it was nothing." Shawn told her gently, holding her shoulders without realizing he still had red oven mitts on. Shawn's face fell when her chin did. He lifted her head softly with a finger. "Jules, are you okay?" Concern was earnest in his green eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Juliet gently smiled, a little more real. Her arms snaked around his neck. "I have a gun, and my big fiancé to keep me safe." Her smile spread and was genuine, causing said string fiancé to smile back.

"Let's eat." Shawn untangled her arms and led her by the hand to her seat, pulling it out for her. "And for dessert..." Shawn trailed off seductively, "Pie alamode y pineapple."

"Ooh, talk dirty to me, Spencer." She grinned and tilted her head up where their lips met playfully.

"I just did."

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After dinner brought snuggle tiemes for the happy couple. The movie was set aside by shadows by the window every now and then. _Why can't Shawn see them too?! Am I going nuts?_

"Jules, stay here a second please?" Shawn sat up, disrupting Juliet who wasn't really watching the movie all that much anyway.

"Shawn, what's wrong?" _I'm not crazy! Yes! Oh wait, this can't be good._ Juliet reached for her purse beside the couch.

Shawn's guard was up as he checked the house. An unexplained shadow or a weird noise was all it took to set Shawn on a hunting trip. After everything from the past year, he had become paranoid about his place in life. Any one could take it or someone away from him. Not everyone was trying, but he watched his own ass and especially Juliet's.

The house was clear and Shawn took the mini investigation outside. Juliet fell in behind him as Shawn checked the street for unusual cars, but they were all regulars. They hugged the house to see if they could find anything.

"Shawn, look at the wall." Juliet pointed to a smeared boot mark under the window.

"Good job Jules!" Shawn said proudly. He'd seen the grass disturbance but hadn't followed it up to the window yet. "Okay, so we aren't crazy." Shawn scratched his head.

"Think it's the guy that tried talking to me?" Juliet crossed her arms and stood close.

"I think we better leave the lights on tonight, no hanky-panky." Shawn suggested, turning to Juliet.

"I'm going to have to agree with that." Juliet took his hand and they went back to the house, locking the doors and windows.

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"You okay, O'Hara?" Lassiter asked his young partner, eyeing her suspiciously and drinking from his mug. Her pep was missing, so something was indeed off...

"Yeah, I'm okay." She gave him a reassuring smile, but a deep yawn ruined it. "I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Um... I didn't need to know that. Thank you for killing my morning, O'Hara." Lassiter turned to leave in disgust.

"What? No! That's not what I meant at all!" She picked up on what he meant rather quickly.

Lassiter reluctantly came back and sat on the edge of her desk. "Everything okay at home with you and Spencer?" he asked thoughtfully. Ever since Travis, he and Shawn hadn't been close, but there was a little more respect and camaraderie.

"Everything was great between us, Shawn couldn't be sweeter. Last night though, last night was a little weird." Juliet's tone was unsettled, and she still wasn't sure what to make of it all.

Carlton's face distorted slightly and his brows furrowed. "Did he touch you after you told him no, last night?"

Juliet rolled her eyes, not going to let him have this one. "Carlton, will you just stop for a moment?" Juliet asked aggravated, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. "Someone was watching me and Shawn last night." Juliet finally told him. She had worked through this with dozens of people, but it had never been her. "He watched me when I got home from work, and Shawn and I found that he'd been watching us from the windows."

"What's Spencer think of the whole thing?" Lassiter seemed interested in the situation.

"Shawn's been closer to himself, better even after he had some time after the Freeman conclusion." She referred to the toughest year of his life. "He's been almost paranoid though, really protective of me since then." Juliet said thoughtfully. "He tried to shake it off and down play it, but I could tell he didn't like it any more than I did."

"Have either of you taken further steps to figuring out who or why?" Lassiter began to take it as any other case.

"I haven't had a chance, since I've been here all day. I don't know about Shawn though." Juliet wondered herself.

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"Shawn, why are we hiding in your vacationing neighbor's house, watching your house?" Gus questioned his hair brained friend.

"Because Gus, I need to keep tabs on who's keeping tabs on me and Juliet." Shawn rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna find this bastard, stalk him, and find out why he's creepin' on my Jules."

"That's messed up." Gus said, confused about the entire scenario even after Shawn told him the story. He thought Shawn was taking this a little too far after so little happening. He was far from being in Shawn's head though. Shawn had become a serious hunter after the Freeman Affair. He was off the handle, restless, dangerous even on the cases he took to his heart. Juliet had a hard time some nights, trying to pull prowling Shawn away from home Shawn. Sometimes she would wonder if he'd become lost and she'd never pull him out again, becoming a lethal Lassiter in comparison to his old self. So far, he'd been able to come back to her though.

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The day went slowly, dragged even. Juliet was more than happy to go home and relax, to see what her man had been up to. Or at least she wanted to go home until she sat in her car. _It's okay, O'Hara, it's okay. Nothing is going to happen. You're stressed and overreacting._ Juliet shook her head a couple times, hoping to shake it. She's taken care of herself plenty of times.

This time she did make it freely into the house, and that's where the trouble was. She felt something grab her leg and not let go. Juliet kicked her leg with gusto (you're damn right I said gusto!), then heard a yelp as a grey ball of fur flew across the room into the arms of Shawn.

This was the first time she'd ever seen him mad at HER! "Jules, what the Hell?! Why would you kick my dog?" Shawn's eyes were half hurt and half confusion.

Juliet looked at the quivering puff ball and melted. "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed, closing the distance between her and Shawn. "Shawn, it's adorable!" She took the dog from him and hugged it to her tightly. Suddenly her eyes narrowed and she clicked her tongue. "Who did you get this from?" Juliet rotated her body and held the dog protectively.

Shawn took him back and glared at her in anger and disbelief at her assumption. "Fluffbacca is mine and I'm keeping him! I didn't steal him, he's a rescue. He was in a car with the windows up and no A/C. I smashed the window and got his adorable ass out of there!" Shawn rattled off defensively.

"Fluffbacca?" Juliet questioned with an amused smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Got a problem?" Shawn scratched the head of the cuddling Husky pup. "I found him, I'm naming him. But if you want puppy love and cuddle rights, WE'RE taking care of him."

"That's fair." Juliet went to sit on the couch, but Shawn wouldn't let her. He laid down first and then Juliet snuggled up to him with little Fluffbacca on top. "I'm sure he's potty trained though. Given the size... I'm going to say no." Shawn thought aloud. "I'll get Gus on it. You'd be surprised at what he can do with a whistle and a balloon."

"I don't think I'm going to ask." Juliet said sweetly, scratching both her boys' heads. A tail wagged and the other's leg kicked furiously, drawing a large laugh from Jules.

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Bed time came around and the happy couple pried themselves from the couch. "Bed time! Come here Fluffy!" Shawn called in a sickeningly childish voice. Fluffbacca came without hesitation, bouncing up and down, panting.

Shawn and Juliet lay there in bed, watching the ceiling. "Jules?" Shawn asked sheepishly.

"Yes?" Juliet rolled on top of him, her chin resting on his bare chest, a lazy smile on her angelic face.

"Why was your first instinct to launch Fluffy sky high?" He brushed a stray hair from her face and tucked behind her ear. "That's not like you, Jules." Shawn told her softly and full of care.

"I'm sorry, Shawn. I've just been really on edge lately." she huffed softly, rolling off of him and forlornly looked out the window.

Shawn hooked his thumb under her chin and lightly turned her head. "Talk to me, Jules." Shawn sounded half supportive and half pleading.

"I don't know. I guess last night got to me more than it should have. I've helped so many people with it, Shawn." She took a deep breath and let it go slowly. "It's different when it's you."

Shawn wrapped his arms around her, pulling her so close to him. "Don't you worry about it, Jules. Don't you worry about a thing. I am here, and as long as I am, I will love you and keep you safe with me. I will protect you until the day I die, and that's a promise. I may goof off time to time, okay... a lot. But when it comes to you... you will always be cared for and the center of my undying attention." Shawn kissed her forehead slowly and ever so sweetly. "I love you Juliet, and no one's going to change that or take you from me."

Juliet untangled herself from him and got up, taking Fluffy with her and put him outside the door before closing it along with the curtains.

Shawn watched her with a quizzical eyebrow.

"He doesn't need to see this." Juliet shook her head and smiled before slowly crawling up the bed with a smirk. She laid on Shawn and took his face in her hands and kissed him madly.


	4. Chapter 4: In the Jail House Now

**It has been brought to my attention via review from theshuleslovin'psycho, that last chapter had a plot hole. Allow me to fix it. You may not like the way it happens...**

"Oh come on, I know you're in here." Juliet mumbled, searching through her glove box for Shawn's secret/not so secret snack fund. Upon finding it, she accidently pulled out another envelope from the "Bug Box" as Shawn called it. This envelope was from the local animal shelter?

Juliet removed the papers from within, finding not only a proof of purchase certificate, but also a "My Story" packet with Fluffy's picture. "That son of a bitch!" Juliet cursed, slamming the door and running to the house.

Shawn sat on the couch, Fluffbacca on his lap. Together they watched CSI New York without a care between the two. That was about to change in three, two, queue Juliet.

"Shawn, we need to talk." Juliet demanded, eyes focused and red faced.

"Everything okay, Jules?" Shawn asked, unaware of the coming storm.

"What the Hell are these?" She shifted her weight and gave him that look, that scolding look that told him every single word would decide whether he slept on the couch or worse.

"Oh..." Shawn was not in a good place.

"Shawn, I'm waiting." Juliet tapped her foot, further stating her anger.

"Okay, so I may not have rescued Fluffy." Shawn shrugged but said sheepishly.

"According to this certificate, his name is Barney." Juliet corrected, still not at all pleased.

"Well there's problem one right there. His previous dick bag owner named him barney." Shawn argued.

"Why didn't you just tell me you adopted him? Would that have been so hard instead of telling me YOU did it?" Juliet's voice began to raise in volume.

"Jules, baby, I think you're overreacting." Shawn tried to calm her.

"How am I overreacting to my fiancé lying to me about the newest addition to our home?" Juliet couldn't believe he just said that.

"Fluffy's been here a week, Jules." Shawn was surprised by how much she had become attached to the little fuzz ball. "I'm sorry I lied, but I thought it would be easier than telling you how much I paid for him... I thought it would increase his chances."

"I don't care if you paid a fortune for him. You know about my family, and that the truth is priceless to me, Shawn." Juliet said slightly calmer.

"Can we still keep him?" Shawn asked a little louder than a whisper.

Juliet rolled her eyes before answering. "Yes we're keeping the adorable little fur ball." Juliet mumbled just loud enough for Shawn to hear. "I read his story. He was starved, beaten and left in a hot car to die. He deserves a home and more than a shelter. We'll keep him Shawn, but don't think for a second that I'm not pissed at you."

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Juliet had kept herself locked in her room all day, not even coming out to eat. Night time was coming and Shawn was becoming worried about his Jules. He knew she hated nothing on this Earth more than being lied to, but he didn't think this was going to be a couch maker. Shawn felt bad deep down, he truly did. So Shawn decided to go to the "penance box".

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Juliet woke up the next morning and opened the door to face the day, Fluffy still sleeping at the door. She smiled lightly and scratched his soft head between the ears. She was mad at Shawn, not Fluffy. He was just an innocent bystander.

Speaking of Shawn, where the Hell was he?" She didn't smell the signature scent of his usual apology breakfast everytime he did something stupid.

Juliet went out to the living room to find the couch empty and no one in the kitchen. "Where the Hell are you hiding?" Juliet asked though she knew he wasn't home. It was too early to go to the Psych office. Possibilities flashed in her mind and she remembered the stalker from last week. Had something happened? Was Shawn okay? He didn't even leave a note.

She tried to call him, but his phone went to a ridiculous voicemail that he thought was hilarious. "Shawn, please call me when you get this. You just left without a word and I'm worried about you." She said anxiously.

Soon her phone vibrated with a text. A simple message from Shawn: "..." _God damn it! _When Shawn answered in just dots, he was nearly impossible to deal with.

**Shawn, where are you?**

**The Penance Box**. Juliet didn't think it was that bad, but this place was Hell to Shawn.

**Answer when I call you, please. **Juliet called him again, knowing he'd pick up now. "Shawn, why are you in the Penance Box?" Juliet asked patiently. She was mad at him, sure, but the Penance Box was a BIG deal.

"Because the Box is where I go to teach myself the biggest lessons, Juliet." Shawn used her full name, this was really getting at him. "I promised you a lot of things, that I would keep you safe and no one would hurt you." Shawn paused and Juliet could hear him intake breath breath on the other end. "I hurt you. I didn't see it as a big deal and you did, and that's all I should have needed. I'm not thinking about Fluffy right now, Jules. It doesn't matter what the cause was, what matters is what I did to YOU."

"Shawn, you've learned your lesson. Please come home before your dad traps you in the Box." Juliet pleaded, knowing Shawn was on borrowed time before Henry Spencer stole her man's life essence.

"I'll be home tonight, honey. I need to finish my time." Shawn said solemnly, not looking forward to dinner with his dad and his dad's old cop buddies from back in the day.

"Don't be home too late, okay?" Juliet leaned against the fridge, playing with the legs of her sky blue pajama bottoms.

"I won't. Bye Jules." Shawn's voice was wounded, sounding dejected. He was beating himself up more than Juliet had.

"Shawn, before you go..." Juliet said quietly and slowly into the receiver.

"Yeah baby?" Shawn's voice still seemed to lack his usual spirit.

"I love you."

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"Love you too, Jules." Shawn put the phone back in his pocket and falsely smiled at Henry, who was now reentering the room.

"Alright, lets scale and bone these bad boys." Henry returned the smile, only his was genuine.

Shawn was never into fish clean up, he complained most of the time. Today though, today he didn't say anything. Henry looked at his son thoughtfully and sighed. "Alright Shawn, what's eating you?"

Shawn looked up from his fish before going back to it. "Nothing, pops. How's the star of Not So Young and Still Restless?" Shawn tried to deflect his dad, but it would take more than that.

"Come on kid, I know when you're sitting on something." Henry pushed.

"Okay, but I'll only give you two words. Penance Box." Shawn was not going to give everything away. He wasn't one to talk, let alone to Henry.

"Girl troubles then." Henry was quite familiar with the Spencer legacy of the box. "I was wondering why you agreed to fishing this morning, and dinner tonight."

"Are you mad?" Shawn stayed on his fish, watched his father from under his eyebrows.

"Shawn, the Box has been in the Spencer family for generations. This house IS the box. I did the same thing to my old man." Henry explained, no love lost. "Let me guess, you forgot something huge on the calendar?"

"No, I was caught lying." Shawn admitted resentfully.

"What did you lie about, Shawn?" Henry asked fearing the worst. "Were you caught lying, or did you tell her the truth?" Henry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Did you tell her that you really ARE psychic?"

"What? No? I haven't told anyone that I am, not even Gus." Shawn had a face of total shock. "I was caught lying. I adopted a rescue dog, they charged me up the ass for it because it's adorable and they put A LOT of care into it. I... I told her I rescued it myself." Shawn said in a sigh.

"Well kid, I think she's right on this one. Maybe not kick you out right, but sleeping on the couch right." Henry concluded.

"Nah pops, she had me on the couch but the Box was my idea. I felt like I had a little more coming to me than the couch." Shawn leaned back, done with the fish. "She said I could come home, but I said I'd stay for dinner, and I have to finish my sentence."

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Henry's guests began arriving around 6:00 PM, happy to their old friend and surprised to see his son.

"How's everybody doing?" Henry asked with a polite smile. "Hope you guys are hungry. Me and Shawn were up at dawn catching these." Henry bragged.

"Shawn, I didn't know you fished." one of the men asked, surprised yet impressed.

"I don't often. I wouldn't even call it dabbling. Just one of those things your dad makes you do when you're younger, you know? It's just like riding a bike, except you get wet when you fall off." Shawn joked, pulling a good laugh from even, though Henry's was fake.

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Dinner dragged like a dead body to Shawn, not caring at all for the conversation. Shawn was the center of attention for quite a bit of it, being Henry's little boy and all. The growing of Psych's notoriety was also a hot topic.

Shawn was more than ecstatic when he was able to hop on his bike and motor home, trying not to go too far over the speed limit. If he did, Juliet would have another thing to be mad about.

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Juliet was asleep on the couch when Shawn crept in, unannounced. He smiled to himself when he noticed Fluffy also out on her belly, the TV volume down low.

He hadn't noticed the time until he saw the Hard Rock Cafe clock clock, reading 11:00. He picked up Fluffy and him to the foot of the long couch. Shawn bent over and kissed her forehead before gently taking her in his arms and carried her to bed, slowly and carefully.

Shawn stopped in the doorway to their bedroom, made immobile by his overactive imagination. He looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms, and Shawn's mind betrayed him, her appearing to be in the most gorgeous white, trailing dress he had ever seen. He was still in the everyday jeans and plaid, but she was stunning in her wedding dress.

Shawn shook himself out of it, the vision gone. He looked down to Juliet, and there she was with her head nuzzled into his chest, her blonde hair falling freely over his arms. A small smile graced her delicate face, telling him she was dreaming sweetly.

Shawn crossed the floor and ever so softly, placed her head on the pillows and tucked her in. Back to the couch he went.

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Shawn slowly pulled himself up, his sore back resting against the arm of the couch. He surveyed the room to find Fluffy still asleep. "What kind of dog sleeps this long? I swear he's got lion blood." Shawn said to himself, dragging his hands down his face.

"I think he might, actually." Juliet answered from the kitchen, a glass of orange juice in hand. "He's as needy as his dad, too." Juliet smiled, apparently talking about Shawn.

"Does he listen to as much Tears for Fears, too?" Shawn lightly smirked, not pushing his luck with Juliet's seemingly good mood.

Juliet rolled her head back and forth as if really putting thought into this one. "Less than dad but more than his mama." Juliet's face stiffened from a smile to a look of worry. "How's your back?" she frowned, seeing Shawn apply pressure to the small of his back.

"I can handle it Jules, still better than a dumpster." Shawn winced as he stood up. "Sleep well?" Shawn kissed her cheek when he joined her in the kitchen, making his way to start the coffee pot. He didn't even like coffee, it was just something he figured adults did.

"It would have been better if it wasn't so lonely, big bed all to myself." She flashed her eyes back and forth between her glass and Shawn, doing her best sappy and innocent look. "I don't remember going to bed, and I'm not hung over... care to explain Shawn? Truthfully?" She said softly yet suspiciously.

"I may or may not have carried you to bed when I got in..." Shawn didn't make eye contact, only playing with his waiting coffee mug.

"Thank you, Shawn." Juliet said earnestly, stepping in front of his attempted exit and kissed him slowly but not deeply, their lips just brushing.

Shawn and Juliet stood in the kitchen, an awkward silence filling the room before Shawn spoke. "Jules, I never said the words you needed to hear. I soul searched and did my time, learned the lesson and all that... but I never actually apologized. And so... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied instead of just telling the truth in the first place, especially when I know how much it means to you. I should have weighed it out." Shawn poured out confidently, not backing down and showing his conviction.

"Thank you Shawn. That right there, meant more to me than torturing yourself at your dad's house for 24 hours. What was it like, anyway?"

"Oh my God, Jules! Torture is an understatement!" Shawn exclaimed, preparing to share his time in grave detail as they prepared for work. "He was still awake when I got there, and he made me watch the outdoor channel... whatever it's called. Then he woke me up at 5:00 AM and we went fishing."

"You would have been lucky to hook Jaws and have him pull you in." Juliet laughed as Shawn smiled brightly.

"I tried, but the best I could do was try to jump on the back of a giant manatee and ride away into the sun rise, but he pulled me back into the boat..." Shawn turned it into a real fishing story with that one.

"Ooh, did it have horns?" Juliet leaned in with a pleased smile, playing along and loving how Shawn's eyebrows rose with the love of the bullshitting game.

"One massive one like a narwhal or a rhino, but it was jagged like a..." and the game continued.

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**Okay, sorry about this one. I meant to progress the story, but blame theshuleslovin'psycho for this one. This chapter was supposed to start as a grievance address, but the Shules and a father/son moment, followed by more Shules carried me away. **


	5. Juliet is One of My Favorite Things

**Hey, so... I promised myself no whump in this chapter, but that was before I found myself in a really depressed mood, sooo...**

"Buzz, what's the problem?" Shawn and Gus rolled their wheelie chairs over to where McNab was talking to a fellow officer.

"Oh, not much guys. Some guy was outside my house last night after work. He was pretty creepy." Buzz shared, but stayed pretty vague. Shawn didn't need a lot of details on this one.

"Side conference." Shawn pulled Gus slightly back and away from Buzz, who didn't like the idea of someone watching him and his wife Fran. "Dude, what if that's the guy who was creeping on me and Jules?"

"It could be, but why? What does he and Juliet have in common?" Gus asked. He wasn't sure how solid the coincidence was, but he wasn't going to just drop his idea.

"Who the Hell creeps on cops?" Shawn wondered, scratching his stubbled jaw. The two rolled back to Buzz who was talking to the other cop. "Buzz buddy, I think it's time you start locking up and closing your blinds at night. Me and Jules had a similar experience recently."

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"Chief! Chief!" Shawn called all the way to her office, throwing open her door. "Hachachachacha chief!"

"What do you want, Mr. Spencer?" Karen asked, putting her pen down and halting in her work to deal with the man-boy.

"Chief, I don't know what's going on, but I think the people of this very station, may possibly, in some capacity, at some point in time unknown to me and the powers that be, could be in danger." Shawn rambled.

"I'm gonna need a lot more than that before I do anything, Mr. Spencer." Karen said coolly, not biting too deep into it.

"Shawn is paranoid because he thinks someone is stalking Juliet and something similar just happened to McNab." Gus rattled off drily, not caring too much for the theory.

"I'm not paranoid, Gus. Something real is going on, or going to. I can feel it. I can feel it deep down in my loins." Shawn focused on the word loins. "Someone... or some people, not sure which, are watching our own, Chief."

"That is a strong and interesting claim, Mr. Spencer. Care to explain WHY you think this?" Karen leaned forward, all ears for Shawn's story. _This ought to be good._

"Chief, there is someone or some people, watching our city's defenders. Jules and McNab have already been targeted in the same way!" Shawn exclaimed, both hands slammed on her desk dramatically.

"Mr. Spencer, I need more than two instances and some awkward conversation before I start sending out red alerts to the entire station." Karen explained pointedly, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm telling you Chief, this stinks." Shawn refused to drop it.

"Could this have paranoia have anything to do with your bride to be and your love and protective nature towards McNab?" Karen asked, wondering why he was so insistent upon it.

"I will do anything to keep Juliet safe, and yes Buzz is practically a giant puppy in man form, but damn it Chief, something is going to go down!" Shawn yelled, turning around and throwing up his hands as he left her office. Gus apologetically shrugged and followed behind his partner and best friend.

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Juliet jogged up the stairs with a smile before crouching low to scratch a bouncing Fluffy's head. She stood up again and her smile faltered when she could here Shawn mumbling and cursing as he flew around the kitchen.

Juliet began to legitimately become worried when a pan flew across the open space and Shawn spiked a spoon off the floor. "Shawn?" Juliet called to him in an outside voice, afraid to enter the danger zone.

Shawn immediately froze and spun around, bracing himself by the arms on the counter. He breathed deeply for a moment before opening his eyes. "Hey Jules." he said quietly.

"Everything okay?" she asked quietly, a frown on her usually sweet face. "Shawn?" she pressed when he refused to answer her.

Shawn just held her with his eyes, his mouth was open like something was on the tip of his tongue. Why wouldn't he speak? "I, I can't... why does nobody take me seriously until there's a body?" Shawn's eyes was all the proof Juliet needed to tell her it was a real question.

"What do you mean?" Juliet walked to him and supportively rubbed the base of his neck with one hand. The large knot she found there convinced her he needed a full rub down.

"I talked to the chief today, and it was in one ear out the other. She wouldn't even listen to me!" Shawn growled, slamming his fists down on the counter. "I know that I'm a joke, more times than not." Shawn paused, choosing his words carefully. "But when I'm hot, really passionate and one to something... when was the last time my gut was wrong, Jules?"

The hurt voice of her fiancé made her want to yell at whoever got him so worked up. Up until now, he had been so confident and just... Shawn again. "Shawn, are you talking about the guy that was watching us and Buzz?" Jules said barely above a whisper.

"Yeah." Shawn flatly put it. "I tried telling the chief, but she just shook it off and said I was paranoid. When I feel this strong about something, I'm not wrong. There's something there and I don't want anyone hurt before someone finally agrees!" Shawn tensed again in his anger, but soon relaxed again under Juliet's small yet surprisingly strong hands.

"I don't know what to say, Shawn. I know how you feel, but I don't know what to tell you." Juliet sympathized, but still faced her own issues of being ignored for being in the job at such a young age. Being a young woman under Carlton Lassiter wasn't easy.

"I think Psych is going to take a free one on this, whether Gus likes it or not." Shawn decided.

"Shawn, don't go rogue on this. You could get yourself in trouble, or even worse. I'm not saying you're wrong on this, okay? But I need you to think a little longer about this, see if you still feel this strong. Please."

At first Shawn's face showed hurt, thinking that Juliet was doing the same to him that Vick had. The look in her eyes said an entirely different story.

"I'm not shutting you down, Shawn. You're a damn good detective, but as much as you hate to show it, you're an emotional guy. I think your emotions might be playing into your judgement right now. I won't tell you you're wrong, but for the both of us, please don't do anything rash yet." Her voice was soft, full of understanding and yet pleading.

Shawn slowly gave in and nodded his head, her lips playing along his neck having considerable weight in his decision. "Okay, Jules. But if anything happens, I will go postal. I will get him myself and he won't be pretty when I drag his ass in." Shawn growled territorially. "You or anybody else, if anyone is hurt..."

Juliet cut off his ramblings with a slow, shallow but heartfelt kiss. "Is that what this is about?" she asked breathlessly, resting her forehead on his.

"It always has been, Jules. Since Ajax, keeping you safe and never letting anyone touch you is all I can think about when I'm on the job. I'll go Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon edition every time, I don't care." It would have seemed like a joke if not for the serious way he said it.

"Shawn, you can't live your whole life like this. I understand that what happened to Travis was very traumatic, but you have to let it go. Don't let Travis go, but you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened. And you can't go through life thinking it's going to happen to everyone you know." Juliet slowly passed a small hand through his thick hair, and brought it down to rest on his cheek. "Do you feel this, Shawn? I'm here, and I am real. I'm not going anywhere, no one will take me from you or you from me."

Shawn nuzzled into her soft hair and continued to hold her trim waist, not ready to let go.

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"Hey Billy, what's up?" Shawn asked the burly man as he and Gus crossed the thresh hold.

"I have a problem I think you two can help me with." the legend began his pitch with a little less gusto than his old commercials. "I think a conspiracist web site is trying to prove that I'm still alive."

"Is that such a bad thing, Mr. Mays? You could easily come out on top again." Gus tried to understand.

"That's the thing, Gus." Billy addressed him by first name, a new development. "After I explain that I've been alive the whole time, they may want me back on top but I don't want to be."

"You have the chance at the greatest comeback in advertisement history, but you're not going to take it?" Shawn asked concerned. "You can't just leave it in the hands of that Australian bastard!"

"I don't expect you two to understand. I just hope you two will help me." Billy said sadly.

"Don't worry my friend, we'll do all we can to give you a peaceful life." Shawn promised.

"I'm going away for a while. Do you think, when I get back, that you can have it guaranteed that I'm dead?" Billy rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"I have a plan already." Shawn smiled, turning to Gus.

"No Shawn. No way, he is a crazy, crazy man. You're both out of your damn minds!" Gus tried to argue.

"Billy, we'll be in touch. I have a favor to call in." Shawn smiled maniacally before making his exit.

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"Alright, thanks man. I'll see you in a couple days." Shawn ended the call and looked up to see a questioning Juliet O'Hara in the doorway. "Hey Jules." Shawn said evenly, not allowed to talk about the assignment.

"Who was that?" Juliet walked over quietly and sat next to him on the bed.

"New client, nothing special." Shawn shrugged, wanting to let it go. "Okay, not technically a client. More of a called in favor to help with one." Shawn clarified, actively catching himself. After the issues with Fluffy, Shawn made sure to be as honest as he could be with her.

"What kind of case? Chief hasn't had you around in a while." Juliet wondered.

"Jules honey, why are you sniffing around my case?" Shawn asked suspiciously.

Juliet sighed, and Shawn expected this to not go too well. "It's like work is all we have, Shawn. I don't remember the last time we had more than three hours together." Juliet's voice was a cross of sadness and aggravation.

Shawn didn't even think about that. The both of them had just been go go go for so long now. They weren't used to having as much time as they currently had tonight. "I'm sorry Jules. I don't want you to feel alone, I don't want you to feel like I..." Shawn was at a loss for words for the first time in his life.

"I know Shawn, I don't know what to do. We just don't seem to have the time for each other any more." Juliet paused briefly, looking into his patient and searching hazel eyes. "When is it going to stop?"

Shawn didn't answer her at first, shifting his place on the bed. He took her head in his hands and kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. Juliet stared at her lap but Shawn lifted her head with a finger. "Jules, we are not falling apart, okay? We don't have as much time as we used to, but we will again soon. We just have to tough it out, okay?"

_"_I know, but I miss you Shawn. You haven't been yourself at home." Juliet took his hand in her smaller one. "I'm worried about you. It's like less and less of you comes back after every case. You are your old self around the station and the office, but not around me."

Shawn was again speechless. He didn't even see that was happening, but Juliet could and it was hurting her. It had been weeks since Shawn had given himself a day off. "I'm sorry, Juliet. I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to do. I can try to take some time off or..."

"That never works, Shawn." Juliet interrupted. "Something always because a case or Vick calls you in. When was the last time we had dinner out somewhere and one of us wasn't called out? We can't separate our lives from the law anymore." Juliet said, teeth clenched together and eyes closed. "Sometimes I... I wonder if..."

"If what, Juliet? You can tell me." Shawn squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Are you losing interest in me?" Shawn's heart could have broke from the look in those crystal blue eyes, tears forming behind them.

Shawn laughed aloud, catching Juliet completely off guard and she felt even sillier. "Jules, what on Earth would make you think of such a foolish thing?" Shawn's voice was light and easy, causing Juliet to look up with hope sparkling in her eyes. "Me losing interest in you, is like Gus losing interest in butterscotch. It doesn't matter how much he has, he always wants, always NEEDS more." Their faces were only inches apart, then centimeters, wait for iiiiit, no distance. "I have an idea!" A light flashed on in his mind, but his plan would have to wait. He had other things to do... namely, Juliet O'Hara. He attacked her mouth a second time and pulled her down sideways onto the mattress with him.

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**Sorry this took so long! I've been ridiculously busy with work and graduation on the so close. I tried to make up for it with an extra dose of fluff.**


	6. I Didn't Need to See That

**Guest starring Gary Busey as himself**

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"It's good to see you again, Mr. Spencer." The aging man smiled with great teeth gleaming.

"Please Gary, just Shawn." Shawn took his hand and shook it gratefully with plenty of enthusiasm. "How was your flight?"

"Slippery like a cheesecake and mad as a ferret." Gary's eyes popped as he spoke. "There was a whole lot of wanging, slanging and flashing. It was wild!" Gary was like a confused but joyous kid when it came to flying. "So I understand you needed to talk to me, Shawn." Gary began to follow Shawn out of the airport and to the waiting Blueberry.

"That's right, Mr. Busey. I know how you love your plane rides"

"YEAH!" Gary burst out in uncontrollable excitement.

"And that you also only talk about business in person." Shawn finished his quick explanation.

"That's correct. I only make a deal if I can stare into the man's eyes while we make it. Can you stand my glare, Mr. Spencer?" Gary squinted his eyes and commanded Shawn's attention. "Hold it, hold it... that's the stuff." Gary opened his eyes and smiled brightly. "Let's do this!"

Shawn had been unwavering, staring back and wiggling his eyebrows side to side, making them dance. Very few people on this earth know how to speak Gary's language. "The place isn't ready yet, and we have some things to go over. Why don't you stay at my place for the night?" Shawn offered.

"Oh Shawn, I couldn't. I heard there was a bed and breakfast, and Lord knows that I love to get my pancake and orange juice on." Gary chuckled, slapping Shawn on the back lightly in thanks.

"Gary, I will not hear of it!" Shawn stomped his foot defiantly. "I called you down here, and for the time being I will host you." Shawn was unwavering on the subject.

"Shawn, how would your lady feel having the big GB in your house?" Gary stopped Shawn in mid stride with an apelike hand on his shoulder.

Shawn looked at him suspiciously. "How did you know I had a lady? Was that guy outside my house that one night one of yours?"

"I don't stalk people Shawn, I just have big ears. That guy outside your house sounds like an issue." Gary said with thoughtful, squinted eyes.

"I'm the only one who seems to care, Gary. He's following the local PD and I think it's trouble." Shawn shrugged, not feeling details.

"Well Shawn, sometimes you have to prove people wrong." The white haired giant said thoughtfully.

"Aww thanks buddy!" Shawn grinned.

"Then slap em' up a bit."

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Shawn put down the case file he had been going over in bed when Juliet ran in the room full speed and dived head first into a pile of thick, soft pillows. "Why is Gary Busey in our guest room, laying with his bath robe open?" Juliet screamed into the fluffy fabric.

"That's a long story, babe." Shawn rubbed a hand through his unkempt bed time hair. "Babe?" Shawn plucked a tiny bit of hair and let it fall from his fingers.

It took Juliet quite a while to finally roll over and look Shawn in the eye. "What are you up to, Spencer?" She had a look that said she wasn't quite finished. "And why was Fluffy in the guest room instead of in our room?"

"As for Fluffy, I think Gary's scent just calms him, makes him feel extra safe." Shawn shrugged. "As for why he's here, that's a secret." Shawn said waggling his eyebrows and smirking.

"He's not moving in. No way." Juliet shook her head ferociously. "And I think I have the right to know why one of the creepiest men alive is in our spare room."

"Bite your tongue, heathen!" Shawn whispered dangerously. "Gary is a national treasure."

"How about you bite my tongue instead?" Juliet smiled mischievously, rolling on top of him and peppering his neck and jaw with little kisses.

"Detective O'Hara, what has gotten into you?" Shawn questioned with a grin, his hands sliding under the back of her shirt.

"Well, I found that super sweet morning text you left me, I found the great lunch you made me... and I need Gary's body image in my head replaced with yours." Juliet slowly began to slide his shirt up till he had to sit a bit to take it off.

"Well let's fix that, shall we?" Shawn hooked his leg under her and rolled them over, pinning her to the bed with a predatory grin. He lunged forward and covered her mouth with his.

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"Billy, you home man?" Shawn called as he, Gus and Gary entered the big mansion. "He doesn't seem to be ho... ooh a note!" Shawn said happily.

_Shawn, can't wait to see if you're plan works. Tell the big GB I said hi. Sincerely, the Oxyking._

"Gary, here's the plan. Billy Mays is as alive as Val Kilmer's acting career should be. Some people think he's alive, but we need them to believe otherwise. That's where you come in." Shawn filled in the taller man who seemed to be listening intently.

"You want me to pretend I live here instead of Billy living here?" Gary asked, getting the jist of the situation. "I don't know Shawn, I"

"All expenses paid and I'll give you $10 a day." Shawn cut in.

"$10 a day? I'M IN!"

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Lassiter stopped cold, unmoving. Something was very wrong. There was just that odd feeling in the air. It seemed... happy.

"Lassie, what's shaking!" Shawn's voice shook through the entire station in a way only he and Lassiter could cause.

Lassiter gritted his teeth and turned around around. "Something we can help you with, Spencer? Consulting us for once?"

"The moment Gus needs help reaching something in a high place, we'll call for your odd lanky abilities. But as for now..." Shawn's face held a very wicked grin, the one Lassiter saw at night and every time he closed his eyes. "We're just here to hang out. Slow day at the office. We have a case that is currently in gestation"

"That's not the right use of that word." Lassiter cut in.

"So we can't take on another, and we have nothing left to do while we wait." Shawn explained quickly, almost too fast for Lassiter to keep up.

"Go bug your fiancé but stay out of my way." Lassiter growled dangerously.

"Sounds good. Where is me lady anyway?" Shawn's eyes darted around the station, coming up negative for a certain sexy blonde.

"Files." Lassiter pointed down the stairs.

"Thanks Lassie." Shawn held his arms open for a hug.

Lassiter didn't say a damn thing, just glared at him with a look that could kill a pug pup.

Shawn dropped his arms in defeat and watched Lassiter with puppy dog eyes before leaving. Lassiter felt victorious until he felt strong arms arm around him from behind. "Brothers gotta hug!" he called, quoting the large funny man Chris Farley.

"Spencer!" Lassiter roared until Shawn let go and ran down the stairs, leaving the bullpen.

"You hugged Carlton again, didn't you?" Juliet asked, never turning from the file cabinet.

"Yeah, I did." Shawn said rolling his eyes in guilt. "It was kind of like this, but not the same at all." Shawn whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing himself into her back.

"That doesn't make any sense, Shawn." Juliet leaned back into his embrace, kissing his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder.

"Want me to bug Lassie till he lets you go early?" Shawn's voice light and playful, kissing Juliet's neck that she had exposed for him.

"It's better than losing my job for getting caught 'playing' in the file room." Juliet air quoted.

"Dinner maybe, a movie, hot wild crazy monkey"

"Shawn, dinner sounds great." Juliet cut him off before he could finish his perfect date idea, putting her hand on his chest to create some breathing room. "Then some not so foul play." She grabbed his shirt by the collar and pulled him up the stairs behind him.

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The bride to be held hands with her knight gleefully, a pleasant smile on her face and her head leaning on his shoulder lazily. "Tonight was great, Shawn. A beautiful dinner, a sweet but funny movie, I had a really good time." Juliet kissed his cheek, and Shawn turned to meet her lips this time, but instead pushed her aside, nearly knocking her over.

Shawn was gone in a flash, sprinting like a fair haired, pineapple scented cheetah. He jumped up on top of a metal trash can and from there went airborne, sending his target into the sidewalk with Shawn on his back.

Juliet ran over to where Shawn covered the hooded man. "Shawn are you okay?" Juliet helped him up, a knife in Shawn's hand.

"I'm fine, are you okay?" He cupped her face in his hand, putting his forehead on hers. "Stay the Hell down!" Shawn barked to the pitiful pile of man who had tried to pick himself up.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Care to tell me what happened last night, Mr. Spencer? Or you, O'Hara?" Karen raised an eyebrow at the couple sitting in front of her. "An officer tells me he went into the holding cells and there's a man in a hoodie screaming about his rights, with a poorly patched up forehead."

"Why do you just assume WE had something to do with it, chief?" Shawn looked as if she'd just stabbed him in the back.

"Because this has Spencer written all over it." Karen wasn't moving. She knew better.

"She's not a Spencer." Shawn pointed to Juliet, who knew better than to jump in until Shawn's antics were fully stopped.

"Not YET, but she's close enough." Karen's tone and protruding finger said play time is done.

"It was us, Chief." Juliet confessed. "We were out last night, and that man tried to come at me with a knife, Chief. He would have stabbed me if Shawn hadn't pushed me out of the way. He saved me." Juliet smiled and took Shawn's hand.

"That's all very touching O'Hara, and good work Spencer, but why wasn't he processed?" Karen was happy to have another piece of boot scum off the street, but she wasn't happy about their lack of protocol. She hadn't expected it from Juliet.

"It was our night off, Jefe. Believe it or not, but me and Jules need us time once in a while. Processing isn't exactly us time." Shawn tried to get her to put on the personal life cap, if she had one.

"And besides, Carlton was more than happy to get in on it after we told him what happened." Juliet jumped in, hoping the mention of her partner's willingness would help.

"Fine, get out of here. But in the future, when you bring someone in, he's your responsibility. And Mr. Spencer, try not to get stabbed out there."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Shawn, Gary Busey is gone, and so is my hair curler." Juliet informed him, coming out of the bathroom, white fluffy robe and all

"If you're implying that he stole it... it's because I said he could have it. He likes the way it spins." Shawn shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Where'd he go anyway? And why was he here?" Juliet questioned, still in the dark with the whole affair.

"I can't tell you either of those. It's very privileged information, and I won't tell you a lie." Shawn stuck his chin out, proud of his new "tell no lies to Jules" policy.

"Well thank you for not making something up. With you, it's hard to tell sometimes. How many girls come home to Gary Busey?" Juliet rhetorically asked with a giggle.

"How many more girls come home to Gary Busey letting it all hang out?"

"That's not a good thing, Shawn. It's not good at all." Juliet closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, trying to never see it again.

"I'm sorry Jules, I should have warned you." Shawn rubbed the top of her arms, brushing under the short sleeves of her pink unicorn t-shirt Shawn insisted she have. He kissed her on the tip of the nose, drawing an adorable sigh and pulled her close to her. "I'm glad last night was a success... kind of. That guy with the knife that wanted your purse dampened the mood a little." Shawn frowned apologetically.

"Are you kidding me? I was scared for you Shawn, but I have to admit... it was kind of hot, seeing you take that guy down in defense of your Jules."

Shawn smiled cheek to cheek when she used his own name for her. "Is there any of that left, something we can still tap into?" Shawn smirked with a suggestive eyebrow.

"Come here." It was Juliet's turn to pull Shawn close, taking him by the collar and making him see stars with a searing kiss. "I'm always burning for you, Shawn. That won't change anytime soon, lover boy." Juliet pressed her lips to his again.

It was Shawn who decided he didn't want it to end, his tongue slowly tracing her bottom lip. Shawn's heart began thumping, hearing the way he could make her moan and sigh before she even granted him entrance to her mouth. It was going to be a good night... long and good.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**It's been a while, I know. I'd like to give excuses, but I won't. Instead, I'll promise to begin more frequent updates, real soon!**


	7. Shawn the Unleashed

**So we're done playing around now. Time to drop the bomb and get this rolling. **

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Shawn dropped the paper ball on the floor and stood like a deer in the headlights. Something turned sour, his stomach summersaulted and his head ached. He braced himself on the desk before he could collapse.

"Shawn, are you okay?" Gus was to his side in a second to hold him up.

"I'm fine but... call Lassie. I need him and some black and whites to go to our place. Come with me." Shawn got up and bolted to the Blueberry.

"Shawn, what's going on?" Gus demanded worriedly.

"I don't know buddy, but it's something."

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Lassiter knocked casually on the front door to "Castle Shules", as Shawn called it. "O'Hara, it's Carlton Lassiter. Open up!" Lassiter waited patiently for a short time. Juliet's shift had ended half an hour ago. She should be home.

Lassiter opened the front door with gun drawn, climbing the stairs two at a time. The house seemed empty, Lassiter scattering the officers to tear the place apart.

"Jules? Juliet!" Shawn shouted as the front door flew open again and the crazy psychic rushed up the stairs, nearly sending a cop to his ass.

"She's not here, Spencer." Lassiter shook his head slowly. "We combed the place and tried her phone three times. Straight to voicemail."

"McNab, call everyone in her address book, ask when the last time they saw her was." Shawn ran to a drawer of a small desk and removed a little black book.

"She still uses an address book?" Gus asked in disbelief. "She knows it's the 21st Century, right?"

"Juliet's a classy lady Gus, leave her alone." Shawn defended his absent fiancé.

"Spencer, are you sure something happened to her?" Lassiter asked more for legitimate confirmation than doubt. Shawn wasn't usually like this.

"I can feel it, in here..." he pointed to his churning stomach. "And I can feel it here." His fingers went to his temple like they had so many times before for concentration. They also took it as a "vision". "Something's wrong."

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Juliet woke up alone, her head burning and a foul smell lingered in her nose. The past flashed back, the rag pressed hard to her face, the man behind her telling her she could make it easy. She ran a tired hand down her face and sighed, looking to the cold ceiling. She'd been drugged.

"Hello, is anyone else in here?" Juliet called out to anyone in the nearly pitch black.

"H-hello?" A man's voice called out shakily.

"Is someone over there? I am Detective Juliet O'Hara. We have to try to get out." Juliet tried to play the calm and helpful game.

"O'Hara?" the man questioned, not sure he heard the familiar voice right.

"Corporal Faraday? What's going on?" Juliet questioned her coworker.

"I, I wish I knew, Detective." Faraday said quietly. "There's no way out, I tried."

"We're not cuffed or chained. He just left us here?"

"There's only one door in and out. It's like a solitary confinement door. It's also how he feeds us."

Juliet stood up and investigated the poorly lit room. A single toilet, just in the back corner? Say goodbye to privacy. A good number of plain mattresses littered the floor. He probably planned on more guests.

She figured she needed to find out why her and a random coworker were locked in God only knows where. "Faraday, can you tell me how you got here?" Juliet asked as if it was any victim questioning.

He understood, so he didn't give his superior any crap. "I was in an empty parking lot last night. It just my Jeep and another similar Jeep." He rubbed a cold hand down his face, still aching from his kidnapping. "He came from behind my Jeep. I looked up from trying to unlock my door, and he smashed me with a baseball bat. I was out cold, then I woke up on one of these damn mattresses."

"He doesn't have a specific method of kidnapping." Juliet took a note aloud. "And there's no way out." she sighed.

"I don't know who he is, or what he wants." Faraday was clueless. "So what now?"

"We wait." Juliet sat on a hard mattress, nothing to do about anything. She was trapped and would have to rely on others. Hopefully this ass hole didn't want too much. Shawn would find her soon. Heaven would burn and Hell will freeze by him until he found her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Shawn sat at his desk, feet up and fingers tapping together. God only knows how long he'd been like that. He'd convinced the chief to keep McNab under close watch. Two of the three people that had similar creepy experiences were missing, both cops. Definitely reason to believe in connection. Buzz was next.

"Dude, you're still here?" Gus asked, coming into the office. "I would have brought another coffee." Gus took a seat at his desk to find it littered by paper airplanes and crumpled balls. "Rough night?" he guessed, seeing the disheveled look of his friend.

Shawn rubbed a tired hand down his face and grumbled. "Yeah, you could say that." Shawn said quietly, his voice weak and raspy. "I think I'm gonna go home, take a shower and grab a quick bite." He decided, rolling his chair back and closing his Netflix. Supernatural would have to wait, though it did get his investigative juices flowing.

"That's probably a good idea, Shawn." Gus agreed, happy to see his partner being sensible instead of flipping shit. "Get some rest, too. I'll call you if anything changes."

"Oh, and buddy." Shawn stopped by the door. "Don't check up on Gary anytime soon. It's too dangerous in there." He smirked and ducked out after watching the first few moments of distortion on Gus's face as the possibilities flew by.

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The bike was skillfully maneuvered into the driveway next to the car of the driver's lover, who had left the little Volkswagen unused for too long. He jogged up the steps and into the front door, heading straight for clean clothes and a shower.

Shawn took his sweet time, soaking every inch of his body in blessed hot steaming water. His mind flew and pulsed, running ideas and agendas through his mind as quick as the water fell from the pounding shower head. The cops were going to have to bite the big one. Protocol didn't mean a damn with his Jules on the line, lost somewhere.

Eventually Shawn was able to drag himself out of the shower, feeling much like a lobster. He walked out into the living room without yet donning a t-shirt. Why should he? He didn't have anything to hide, and he worked hard to get into shape. Even if just he and Juliet saw it.

His eyes scanned the room, looking for anything they may have missed. Nothing was in the open, it never was. But what about the little places no one checked?

The cupboards were all in order, as was the fridge and oven. The little garbage can though... why would Juliet throw out a perfectly fine hand towel?

Shawn reached in, pulling it out of the can and held it close, taking in any detail. "Gus buddy." Shawn said into his phone after dialing his partner. "I've got a job for the Super Sniffer."

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Juliet woke to the sound of an automated buzz and a loud click, the heavy metal door swinging open and another man was roughly pushed in. "Hey!" Juliet tried to get the captor's attention, but the door slammed closed regardless, the lock sounding again.

The body began to moan and stir, causing Juliet and Faraday to rush to his side. Juliet rolled over the body gently to see a very similar and gentle face. Her hands covered her mouth and her eyes went wide. "Oh my God, Buzz..." she said quietly, trying not to be to loud.

"Oh, hi Detective O'Hara. Corporal Faraday." Buzz smiled, nodding to each of them in turn before sitting up and looking around the room. "Hey Juliet, where are we?"

"I don't know Buzz... I have no idea."

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Gus came into the house without as much as a knock. "Shawn?" he called, coming into the living room.

"Kitchen, buddy." Shawn said quietly, still holding the rag. "What the Hell is this? It smells like the Creature From the Black Lagoon washed his nethers with it." Shawn made a face of disgust as he tossed it at Gus.

Gus sniffed it lightly, finding the scent quite revolting. "Oh my God! Shawn, I could be wrong, but I think this is chloroform!"

Shawn's eyes hardened, and he began to pace and rub both hands through his mussed up hair. "We need to get that down to the lab, make sure that's what it is." Shawn said, pointing to the tainted fabric.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"That's what we're dealing with here, Shawn. If that's not chloroform, I don't have a highschool educa... that's a bad example." Woody stopped himself.

"Captain Wood Dog, what are you doing in the lab? You're the mortician." Shawn asked in genuine curiosity.

"I get board sometimes. People don't die every single day just for me, Shawn." Woody said, shoulders slumping.

"Ahh, Mr. Guster and Mr. Spencer. Just the pair I was looking for." Vick said on her way into the lab. "We have another missing officer."

"Let me guess... it's Buzz McNab." Shawn said weakly. "How long has he been missing?"

"A few hours. Disappeared just like Faraday and O'Hara." It wasn't hard to notice Shawn's cringe when his missing love was mentioned. "I don't think I need to tell you how important this is, Mr. Spencer. We will do EVERYTHING in our power to see them home." Her emphasis on 'everything' wasn't lost on anyone.


	8. There's Sunshine When She's Home

"Shawn, since when did you start drinking Monster?" Gus asked, putting his coat over the back of his desk chair, noticing the empty cans on his partner's desk.

"Since coffee stopped being enough." Shawn replied evenly, his breathing deep as he turned around in his chair. His fingers were peeked together and his hair under control again.

"Did you finally get some sleep?" Gus asked hopefully.

"Yeah, about two hours." Shawn said excitedly, clapping his hands together once. "I could conquer the world today!" He spun around in his chair, pumping both arms to the ceiling. It didn't take long for them to drop as he found realization. "Okay, just Toledo." Shawn admitted, just a little defeated.

"Anything new?" Gus asked, referring to the abductions.

"Nothing, I couldn't get anything but Buzz's Wal-Mart receipt collection." Shawn said quietly, hating how much this was dragging. He should have been off the case with a Person of Interest in the case. "We've got nothing to go on." Shawn rubbed a hand through his hair, mussing it up for the first time in two days.

"Don't say that Shawn. We have plenty of leads left." Gus scolded almost defensively.

"Bullshit! Like what? We've interrogated every possible suspect in Santa Barbara, got a warrant for damn near every place she- they could be! I haven't slept in..." Shawn trailed off, a look of apology in his eyes. He didn't have to say it, he took his friend's wordless gesture with a curt head nod.

"You hungry?" Gus's voice came out happy and hopeful again at the prospect of something delicious and warm, hopefully drowned in syrup for his grumbling tummy.

Shawn's eyes shot open wide with realization, his knuckles regaining color when he let go of the edge of the desk. "Okay, but on the way, I have to call a friend in 'Cisco." Shawn got up, grabbing his jacket and holding his hand out for the keys.

"You must be out of your damn mind! You're not driving in your condition, Shawn."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Juliet woke up from her uneasy sleep when she felt hand slowly petting her cheek with two fingers. She sat up quickly, startling the thinly bearded man.

"Good morning." the odd man said with a shaky smile, reaching his hand out again.

"Get away from me!" Juliet hissed, backing away on the mattress until her back hit the wall. Her eyes darted to Faraday and Buzz, who continued to sleep during the quiet exchange.

"It's okay, I don't want to hurt you. I just want to touch you, feel your skin, smell your scent." the little man confessed. "Is that so wrong?"

"I said get away!" she screamed, waking the others. They saw her situation and rushed forward but stopped he pulled a small pistol from behind his back.

"I'd stop right there." he suggested, motioning back to where they had tried to pounce from. "Now, where were we?" he asked, scooting closer, Juliet curling up into a frightened blonde ball.

"We were at the part where you left me the Hell alone!" Juliet spat defiantly, angrily.

"I'm not sure you get how this works. I have the gun, you're MY prisoner. So you will do EVERYTHING THAT I SAY!" he shouted, causing the poor woman in front of him to flinch and cringe.

"Okay, okay!" Juliet said in a hurry, defensively putting her hands out in front of her, receiving an interested gleam in her captor's eye. "Let's play a game, okay?" Juliet looked at him hopefully, gaging his expression.

"I'm listening..." he said, sounding very intrigued.

"I ask a question, you answer, and I do something you ask for each answer." Juliet suggested.

The man sat back and rubbed his surprisingly small arms. Juliet had expected a much larger man, someone who could intimidate without a gun. "Okay gorgeous, ask away." he answered in a voice that would have been pleasant in a different situation.

"Full name? First and Last. I want to know who's doing this to us." she asked shakily, hiding her plan and worrying about his command.

"Bradley Edwards." he stated plainly. "Let your hair down, those beautiful blonde locks." Bradley admired her in an odd fashion. It came off as really creepy to everyone who witnessed.

Juliet as was told, removing the hair tie from her pony tail and fanned it over her shoulders, allowing it to fall freely. Brad reached out to touch the gold strands, but Juliet tisked at him. "That's a whole other command." Juliet said playfully, knowing she had to keep her act together. "Where are we, what city?"

"San Francisco, but that's all the location you're getting." Brad said defensively, crossing his arms. It didn't take long for a smile to spread across his face, causing Juliet to worry about her personal bubble. "You, buzz cut." he motioned for Faraday. "Come here."

Faraday made his way over very cautiously, afraid of where it was going. He stood by at a safe distance, waiting for further orders.

"Oh come on, get on the mattress with her!" Faraday shouted, waiving the gun around, threatening to hit someone. "Kiss her. Not on the cheek, really kiss her." Bradley barked, a sickening gleam in his eyes.

"Juliet, I'm sorry." Faraday said with sincere sympathy, knowing of her engagement.

"It's okay, it's not your choice." Juliet forgave him, taking his hands in hers.

"That's a good start." Bradley said with a pleased smile, relaxing ever so slightly. His smile got a little bigger when they inched closer together, Faraday's handsome features only millimeters from Juliet's lips.

Juliet screwed her eyes shut when their lips touched, the intimate action having no spark or flame like she got from just the looks she would receive from Shawn. Her body tensed, thinking of the kind of Hell he was putting himself through to find her, more than likely blaming himself while she was stuck in this damn room, useless, helpless.

The pair finally dropped the kiss that hadn't turned into anything more than pursed lip kissing. "Are you the only one keeping us here? Are there others?" Juliet asked, her voice quieter than ever after her shame.

"Nope, only me. My brother would be here, and you wouldn't be if you incompetent idiots could ever do your jobs!" He shouted, his face red. "Alright buzz cut, take that little shirt off." Bradley calmed down, motioning to the blue tight t-shirt Juliet wore when she went out on her runs.

Faraday's face never lost his look of apology as his arms slowly moved forward and took hold of the hem of Juliet's shirt, slowing pulling up the Dri-Fit material up her toned stomach and past her belly button and over her head to reveal a black sports bra.

Juliet wracked her scattered brain, trying to find another question to help them with information or a way out. "One last question." Juliet said, looking into Faraday's eyes with a predatory light. His hands went to the hem of his shirt and began to slowly pull it up. "What part of you thought this would work?"

Her voice came off as cocky and Bradley's eyes widened before he was temporarily blinded by Faraday's shirt. Before he could get it off his face, three bodies were on him.

Faraday broke his wrist with a solid crushing knee blow, allowing Juliet to take hold of the gun and aim it at their once captor.

Bradley screamed out in pain from his wrist, but was sobered by a hard open hand slap from the detective he had tried to prey on. "Go on, get up!" Juliet shouted, pointing the gun at him. "Open the door NOW!" She left no room for argument.

Bradley's eyes fell and he became timid and shy from his own stupidity, not so much from the gun trained on him. "I, I can't." he said quietly.

"What the Hell do you mean you can't?" Faraday asked oddly calm. "You locked yourself down here with us?" Faraday began to chuckle at this man's incompetence.

"Well Detective?" Buzz asked hopefully to his adrenaline rushed coworker.

Juliet shrugged and looked at Buzz and Faraday, leaving Bradley out of her caring. They had the gun and both men were larger than him by far. "We wait for my fiancé."

"What makes you think he can find us?" Bradley questioned skeptically, being just another prisoner now.

"It's Shawn. He'll find us, I have absolutely no doubts." Juliet said freely, her words not an act but heart felt truth.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Shawn and Gus had just finished up at the little seaside diner, paying the tab and on making their way out. "So what's the plan?" Gus asked, leaving the shots to Shawn. Gus and Shawn were used to arguing about how these things were going to go, but not this time.

"We go to San Francisco and find my fiancé, maybe kill the bastard that took her." Shawn walked with purpose to the Blueberry. "We're going to need Lassie to meet us at San Fran, we need a real an extra man."

"You mean a gun and a real cop?" Gus said, knowing they couldn't do EVERYTHING.

"Gus, don't be a telephone book with the little curvy things that say how you should REALLY pronounce the names. It makes life boring."

"Phone books don't do that, Shawn. When it comes to names, those jackals leave you all alone!" Gus shouted, taking the wheel and speeding out of the parking lot.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Alright Spencer, what the Hell are we doing here at 8:00 PM? This better be good for how much time this is costing me." Lassiter growled, standing in front of the now entering sign.

"Do you you want, your partner back or not, Lassie. I could be your new partner I guess, but you wouldn't make a pleasing fiancé. You would probably eat more than me when we went out, and that's not okay. I have to be the MAN in this relationship for it to work, Lassie."

"Oh for the love of God, shut up Spencer!" Carlton rolled his eyes and got back in his car. "Where the Hell are we going anyway?"

"I have some contacts to wrangle up, some free intel from some people that owe me a favor." Shawn answered, getting into the Blueberry. "They can help."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The three converged on a small coffee shot that appeared dead except for the barista and a number of ragged, tired looking men.

"Alright boys, go up to the board and order whatever you want. If all goes according to plan, dinner's on me!" Shawn ordered, pointing up to the counter.

Once Shawn's "friends" all had their warm, delicious drinks, it was down to business.

"Who are these people, Spencer?" Lassiter asked suspiciously.

"The best intelligence you'll find for some coffee and a free meal. These are the people of the streets, Lassie. They know every shady place in town that could house my Jules and your subordinates." Shawn explained the homeless men around them.

"We've done some scouting, Shawn. We have top three locations, and we've even done some breaking and entering." the lead hobo said, scratching his beard. "We know where she is, Shawn."

"Let's get going, take me there!" Shawn shouted, jumping up and running for the door, his personal posse in tow.

The location was only blocks from the coffee shop, probably why they chose it for the meeting place.

Shawn was surprised to see an actual house instead of a dockyard or old warehouse. It seemed to be just a house.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Lassiter asked doubtfully, pistol already in hand.

"We're sure. There's this creepy ass skinny guy who walks around with a pistol, and has a giant steel door with a security code that leads to God only knows where." the head hobo said, not appreciative of Lassiter's lack of faith.

"Alright, let's do this." Lassiter nodded to everyone to get on both sides of the door like his own personal swat team. He kicked in the door and the seven men flooded in. "SBPD! EVERYBODY DOW..."

"I don't see anyone." Shawn verbally noted, putting down his golf club. He began to search the room, picking up pictures of family, friends, but one photo of a funeral caught his eye. The casket ready to go, a crying man doubled over on the casket, not ready to let go. It reminded Shawn of himself not even a year ago.

He had to keep moving, he had to find his Jules before a similar scene could happen again. He was shaken from his thoughts when Lassiter came to find him.

"Spencer, Guster's working on the door lock, your street urchins cleared the house. He's not here."

Shawn simply nodded before making his way to the "pantry" that hid the massive security door. Gus had just cracked the code, the door opening with a loud click and a buzz.

Lassiter somersaulted between the crack in the door and the door itself, coming back up on his knees and gun searching.

Shawn flew in behind him, his eyes scanning for one... there she is. Shawn rushed over to Juliet, who was sitting up fully alert on the mattress. She smiled at him with a mile wide smile and tears of relief forming in her eyes. "It's okay baby, I'm here. I got you." Shawn wrapped her in the world's tightest hug, Juliet responding immediately and just as tight if not tighter.

"I knew you would. You always will, Shawn." Juliet whispered in his ear, placing small kisses down all the exposed skin she could reach.

"God I missed you Jules, I was so worried." Shawn finally let her go, just to kiss her madly, everyone in the room giving them an ovation like the imaginary staircase scene in Titanic. Minus Bradley and Lassiter. Gus was even in on it, Hell, he started it.


	9. Cut the Damn Music!

Juliet woke up the next morning in her own bed, and her own Fluffy at her feet. The only thing missing was her own supposedly psychic fiancé.

Every so gently she got out of bed, making sure not to disturb the sleeping ball of fur. She quietly padded out of the bedroom and found Shawn sitting on the kitchen counter, his back turned to her.

Instead of calling for him, she decided to sneak up behind him and wrap her arms around his stomach, burying her face into his back. "Good morning, Shawn." Juliet said just over a whisper.

"You should still be in bed, Jules." Shawn told her like he was some kind of official guardian. "What are you doing up anyway?"

"Well, my morning was pretty much perfect, until I discovered you weren't there." Juliet confessed. "What are YOU doing out of bed?" Juliet turned his question on him.

Shawn broke from her arms, causing her to pout and whine like Fluffy. He left the kitchen and came to her side of the counter. "I can't bring you breakfast in bed, Jules, if you're not in bed." Shawn said seemingly upset. "I could bring you breakfast at table, but it's nowhere near as sweet and comfortable."

Juliet studied Shawn critically, the usual love and kindness was there, but there was something else there, given away only by his eyes.

"Everything okay, babe?" Shawn asked, becoming quite unsettled by her gaze.

"I'm sharp as cheddar, but you... what's going on in there, Spencer?" Juliet tapped on his psychic temple.

Shawn shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot before sweetly kissing her forehead and scurrying back to the kitchen. "I'm feeling juice. How about you, Jules?" Shawn's attempted dodge was far too rushed.

"Shawn..." Juliet verbally chased him.

"Maybe I was wrong Jules, just forget it. Tell me when." Shawn told her, making a show of drizzling syrup on her massive pile of Oreo sized pancakes, one of the stupid little things that made her do that little giggle he loved.

Juliet watched him, waiting for him to explain more. Her eyes flashed down to her pancakes, the perfect amount of liquid gold covering them. "That's perfect Shawn." He kept the slow flow going. "Good, enough, too much WHEN!" The key word finally got him to stop, a goofy smile on his face.

"You should have just said 'when', Jules. Know you're having pancake soup for breakfast." His smile didn't falter as he watched her own smile at his antics.

"Gimme." Juliet held out her hands to receive the plate. "Idiot." she murmured quietly with a small smile as she walked to the table.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Morning buddy!" Shawn greeted loudly after whipping the Psych office door nearly off the hinges.

"Take it easy on the door Shawn, that's a..." Gus paused, seeing the giddy look on his best friend's face. "Shawn, you look like a new man! Must of been a Hell of a welcome back party." Gus grinned wolfishly, knowing what usually had Shawn this uppity in the mornings.

"Actually Gus, it wasn't." Shawn said a lot calmer now, taking a seat at his own desk. "It was like nothing ever happened, you know? She didn't cry, she wasn't oddly quiet or shy away when I got close to her. She had no signs of post traumatic stress." Shawn said baffled.

"Well, Juliet is a strong woman. And this is her with YOU, Shawn." Gus pointed out.

"You're right, buddy. Jules is stronger than me. I know though, if it was me, I'd need just a little time to recover."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Juliet stood at home in the kitchen. Today was all about baking, one of her favorite time passers. Even if she didn't eat much of it, Jules being someone to always keep her health and fitness in mind, Shawn and/or the station would.

Juliet would never admit to Shawn, but every second of the day, every sound had her on edge. In this instance, just from the squeak of the mail box opening had Juliet O'Hara spinning around in place with her hand on her gun. She wasn't afraid of the dark, or to turn corners. But it was the sounds, the little sounds that made her jump and reach for her piece like an old Western.

"God damn it!" she cursed to herself, pissed off about her current inability to get her nerves back under control. Something that could have been a lot worse happened, she refused to call herself a victim. She really didn't want Shawn to find out either. He was the most supportive man ever, but damn near to the point of babying.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Jules!" Shawn exclaimed happily into the phone. "Lunch with me, Gus and Rachel?" his voice came off as childishly hopeful.

She was glad she wasn't really doing anything, because she would have hated to tell that voice no. "Of coarse. Where should I" HONK HONK! "meet you..." Juliet trailed off after the horn of the Blueberry alerted her that they had guessed her answer.

Juliet jogged down the steps and brusquely walked to the back of the car, the door opened by Shawn who padded the seat next to him with the air of English royalty. The look on his face was priceless, so dignified and his back ramrod straight.

"Please milady, seat yourself so our carriage may depart." Shawn said in the most ridiculous, posh English accent Juliet had ever heard. "Dear Burton, please advance with our arrangements." Shawn continued the act, but Juliet didn't expect Gus's reaction.

"Mmm, yes. Indeed Mr. Spencer! Forward, good steeds!" Gus said straight faced, moving the car forward.

The play put on by the two caused Juliet to throw her head back in laughter. "What's going on with you two?" Juliet said through her giggles. Shawn said nothing, opting to sit there still and calm, holding her hand in his and stroking the top of it delicately like some high maintenance cat.

Rachel turned around in her seat, "You should see the entire evening they have planned out." Rachel's natural accent that matched the boys' had Juliet fighting back a smile. "You know I can't help it. This is my real voice."

"Evening?" Juliet asked, her eyes getting a little wider. "Shawn said lunch!" She talked about him as if his hand hadn't left hers, and wasn't slowing rubbing her mid thigh. She thought about swatting him away, but she missed his feeling on her skin over the last few days. She was glad she wore shorts today.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Lunch was nothing special, just a local sub spot Juliet and Rachel didn't know about. For a sandwich place... It. Was. GODLY!

The Blueberry continued on its mission, leaving Santa Barbara and following the coast to only Shawn and Gus knew where. The sea and the day was beautiful, but the girls fell asleep after a very long and weird as Hell game of Would You Rather, which ended on something about Olivia Newton John's love child.

"Jules... Jules, baby?" Shawn tried to slowly awake his gorgeous wife to be.

He was shocked when, instead of her eyes slowly and wearily coming open like they usually do, they flashed open like an endangered cat and she grabbed his arm with a seriously tight grip.

Shawn didn't take a step back, but his eyes melted instead, knowing why she lashed out. He looked around to see Gus and Rachel already going to the front door of the restaurant, leaving them behind. "It's okay." Shawn leaned in, kissing her forehead.

Juliet did not respond, she just looked at Shawn with a look HE couldn't read. He didn't want to talk about it, and he knew she didn't. He would be there when she gave in to talk about it.

Shawn closed the distance one last time to kiss her lips, sliding one arm under her legs and the other around the back of her head, gently lifting her from the car. The look in her eyes was now easy to read; thankfulness for understanding, simple want of something they couldn't exactly do right now...

Seeing that look in those beautiful eyes and having one similar to, Shawn put her down and smoothed out the sky blue t-shirt.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Shawn and Gus laid out the extra large beach towels on the cooling sand as the sun set over the otherwise empty beach.

The view was breath taking and the night air had a wonderful chilling affect on their mostly exposed skin. The couples laid on their respective towels, chatting back and fourth between each other and their opposite halves.

It didn't seem to take long for the sun to set completely, the moon and stars being their only light. None of them made a motion to leave.

Shawn sighed contentedly, Juliet's soft had laying across his bare belly. His hand subconsciously twitched by his side, but his hand removed to touch her delicate skin.

Shawn's attention was drawn to the goddess next to him when she turned on her side to rest on her arm. "Yes Jules?" he asked sweetly, rolling over to match positions and stare into her eyes.

She watched him a minute, unsure of what to say. She found her idle hand deftly playing with her green bikini bottom. "What's going on, Shawn?" Juliet asked, suspicion and maybe even pain in her voice. "You've barely touched me since you found me." Her voice was quiet and thoughtful, not to be heard by Gus and Rachel who were having their own little moment.

Shawn didn't answer, choosing up look down at his own chest. "Hey mister, up here." Juliet teased, hooking a finger under his stubbled chin and making him focus again. "Is there something I need to know, or is this about..."

"I don't want to rush you Jules. No pressure, okay?" Shawn earnestly, hoping this would suffice.

Juliet took Shawn's free hand in hers and rested it on her hip. "You didn't do anything to me, Shawn. Why would I push you away when you're always holding onto me?" Juliet's words and the sheer tone of her voice made Shawn's heart beat spike.

"I wasn't going to take chances with your feelings, Juliet. I never would. I need you, like Val Kilmer needed a barber in that one scene in Tombstone. Like Joanie needed Chachie! These feelings don't go away, Jules."

"Hmm..." Juliet closed her eyes and smiled, thinking of a good one. "I need you like... like Bill Murray needed his alarm clock to stop playing Sonny and Share's _I Got You Babe _in Groundhog's Day."

Shawn smiled brightly. "That's some pretty deep stuff. Kiss me woman!" Shawn said a little too loudly, but Rachel and Gus just ignored him.

Juliet rolled on top of him and giggled. "Okay." she said with a sweet smile, kissing the psychic for all he was worth.


End file.
